Oath to Vanquish is a death/grind band from Lebanon that have been in existence for about five years. With their debut album _Applied Schizophrenic Science_ they managed to surprise me, in a genre that does not really interest me all that much. Yet in the course of nine to-the-point songs, they combine traditional death metal with some grind breaks, peppered with a few old-school black metal touches, like the odd blast beat as well as bass licks that would not sound out of place in some American underground black metal bands.

They tread skilfully between mid-paced heaviness and furious onslaught, and provide enough variety to keep you very much interested until the (silly named) closer "Coat-Hanger Massacre". Talking about silly names, I do understand this is a death/grind band and that there is a certain image they would have to live up to in order to court with the likes of Cannibal Corpse et al, but song names like "Sulphuric Semen" or "Toxic Bowel Movement" are rather childish. Fortunately, this is really my only criticism in an otherwise superb first album. Even the production is top notch and fitting to the sound the band is aiming for.

If you like this sort of style of metal, you will love _Applied Schizophrenic Science_; but even if you are a fan of the genres peripheral to death, chances are your time and money might be worth the effort. One for the mosh pit.